A technology to implement a touch input device capable of performing a touch operation may include a resistive method, a capacitive method, a surface acoustic wave method, and a transmitter method.
A touch input device using the capacitive method includes electrode patterns extending in directions intersecting with each other to detect a change in the capacitance between the electrode patterns touched by an input means, e.g. a human finger, in order to identify an input position. Another type of the touch input device using the capacitive method identifies an input position in such a manner that an in-phase, equipotential current is applied between both ends of a transparent conductive film and a weak current, which is generated by the formation of a capacitor due to the approach or touch of an input means, e.g. a human finger, to the transparent conductive film, is detected.
In general, a touch input device may be configured by a two-panel laminated structure in which a first panel adheres to a second panel by using an adhesive. The first panel may include first detection patterns arranged in the first direction (i.e. X axis direction) on a first substrate and a plurality of first metal patterns connecting sensor circuits to calculate a position of the detection patterns, and the second panel may include second detection patterns arranged in the second direction (i.e. Y axis direction) on a second substrate and a plurality of second metal patterns connecting sensor circuits to calculate a position of the detection patterns.
Further, a capacitive touch panel having a structure of two layers in a single sheet has been disclosed.
A manufacturing method of a touch input device employs a method using a transparent electrode, i.e. indium tin oxide (ITO), a method using a metal mesh, and a method using flexible printed circuit board (FPCB).
The above mentioned processes require multiple process steps, and thus, the processes may be complicated and also the cost of the processes may be relatively expensive. Particularly, the manufacturing process using ITO may have a difficulty in the price of the product due to using high price material, e.g. rare earth materials.
In addition, the conventional processes are performed by using an adhesion method, and thus, the product may be vulnerable to an external vibration and impact, and a high temperature. Therefore, the durability of the product may be reduced and it may be difficult to apply the product to a device associated with the vibration and the high temperature.